“I’ve gotta run.” He hung up. With a smoldering gaze, he rose. After fastening the button of his charcoal suit jacket, he offered a smile as stiff as a mannequin’s. “Jagger Loving. Welcome,Taylor.”
“Taylor Hathaway, Mitus Conglomerate.” Though her cheeks flamed, she wouldn’t break eye contact. She clutched the back of the guest chair while he seemed to draw immeasurable strength from having home turf advantage. And the fact that he was her client gave him the win. He was in control. She was there to serve him. And she could think of several ways that had nothing whatsoever to do withwork.
He extended his hand. She slipped her quivering one into his. Like the first time, the electricity from his firm grip sent a whoosh of energy through her, and that invisible puzzle piece snapped into place. She surveyed his face, his closely trimmed goatee and moustache, and that mouth made for sex. But when their eyes locked, she couldn’t deny the effect he had onher.
Totalannihilation.
He might be a womanizer, but he had ruined her for any other man. She wanted to hate him for that, but shecouldn’t.
“The airline lost Taylor’s luggage,” Robby said, breaking the thicksilence.
As Jagger regarded her pants suit, his eyes turned stormy. “Robby, please buy Taylor some clothing in case her luggage never arrives. We can’t have our event director running around the hotel nude.” His wicked grin wasn’t wasted onher.
“Good God, no!” Robby exclaimed. “Should I take her withme?”
“Taylor stays with me.” Those four simple words oozed power and control. And so muchpotential.
“Do you want me to take her on a tour of the property, first?” Robbyasked.
As if he had all the time in the world, Jagger stroked his goatee. Back and forth. Up and down. He’d touched her with the same achingly slow pace. In spite of her uneasiness, she couldn’t ignore the arousal pounding a line to the small space between her legs. She hated it. She loved it. Either way, she couldn’t stopit.
“Later.” Jagger hadn’t taken his eyes off her since she’d stepped into hisoffice.
Drowning in his intensity, she wanted to cling to the assistant like abuoy.
Robby stepped back and gave her the once-over. “How tall are you? I’m guessing five six or five seven.” He glanced at her flats. “Do you wearheels?”
“Stilettos,” Jagger answered. “Sizeeight.”
Warmth exploded inside her chest.He found my shoes.She didn’t trust her own voice, but she had to forge forward. “Yes, I…I wear heels at work. Sizeeight.”
Pausing, Robby eyed them. “Do you two know eachother?”
Taylorfroze.
“I only ask because,” Robby waggled a finger at Jagger, “you seem to know an awful lot about ournew—”
“Robby,” Jagger interrupted. “Less talking, moreaction.”
“Right.” Robby shot Taylor a sheepish smile. “No worries, I’ll buy you everything from lingerie to an evening gown, though, nowadays, sexy nighties can be worn as formalwear. Sizesplease.”
Jagger didn’t budge. Taylor had every right to demand privacy and step into the hallway to speak with the assistant. But Jagger had touched her, penetrated her, shared in her fantasy, and confided one of his own. Passing along garment sizes seemed insignificant when compared with all that. So, she rattled themoff.
“I’m a runner and would love to take advantage of the California sunshine,” she concluded. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to squeezein—”
“I’ve got you covered.” Robby finished jotting everything down before shouldering her carry-on bag. “I’ll drop this in your suite.” After a quick smile, he dashedout.
Alone withJagger.
A low rumble ripped from the back of his throat, like agrowl.
He’d hid his massive ego well the night they’d met, but here, on a Loving property, he was, without question, the one in control and the one with all the power. He exuded confidence. He oozed sex appeal. And she squirmed under his commandinggaze.
The giant wall clock ticked slowly compared to her speeding heart. Should she confess? Should she apologize for not telling him her real name and for vanishing the nextmorning?
“I’ll need your phone number.” His words were a command, not a request. “And this time, you’re going to give it to me.” Damn if he didn’t arch his eyebrow ather.
As soon as she did, her phonebuzzed.
